So, what is love? Some say that it is a tingly feeling or butterflies in your stomach feeling when you are around the one that you love. Most people simply don't have an answer to this question because they have never given it serious thought or been asked to put into words exactly what love is.
To get the true answer to the question, "What is love?", we need to look into God's word to find out for He is the creator of love so He should/would know. The foundation for a Godly, happy marriage is having a love relationship with God first, and then with one another.
God explains exactly what love is in 1 Corinthians 13:4-8. I challenge these hurting couples to do a self-assessment of their personal love and the assessment goes like this:
Vs. 4: Love is patient - Am I patient with the person I say that I love? Love is kind - Am I kind to the person I say that I love? It does not envy - "I wish that I could sit around the house all day eating bon-bons." It does not boast - "Look at how good I am doing at taking care of you." It is not proud - "I am being a better spouse than you are by far!"
Vs. 5: It is not rude - Have I been rude to the person that I say that I love? It is not self-seeking - "I want what I want because I want it." It is not easily angered - Do I get angry easily with that that person that I say that I love? It keeps no record of wrongs - "I remember 3 months ago when you did . . . . ."
Vs. 6: Love does not delight in evil - "I'm glad you stubbed your toe, you made me mad." But rejoices with the truth - Am I thankful that my spouse trusts me and our relationship enough to tell me even this hard truth to help me grow?
Vs. 7: It always protects - Am I putting safeguards in place to protect my relationship with my loved one? Always trusts - Am I trusting this person that I say that I love? Always hopes - Am I hopeful that my relationship with this person that I say that I love will grow? Always perseveres - Am I willing to keep trying to live out my love and never give up loving that person that I say that I love?
Vs. 8: Love never fails . . . .
In my world as a counselor, talk is cheap. People can say whatever they want you to believe, but if those words are not followed up by actions, they mean nothing! Always remember that love is NOT a feeling, it is action!
There may be days when husbands and wives don't like each other very much, but you can always love one another if you follow the directions given in this passage of scripture.
I want to encourage every husband and wife to visit 1 Corinthians 13:4-8 often and evaluate how you are doing at living out your love to your spouse by living out your love. Some days you will be doing well in some areas, but recognize you need to put a little more effort into other areas.
When you recognize, with God's help, that you can grow in particular areas, I want to encourage you to put more effort into those areas and watch your love grow. Marriage takes work and commitment on both people's parts. When you put time and effort into your love relationship, God will not only bless your efforts in living out your love, but He will also bless your marriage!
God Bless you all as you live out your love to those significant people in your lives!
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